Our elopement: The first look

Shane and I decided to do a first look before I walked down the aisle, and I’m so glad we did. Let me tell you, a first look doesn’t take away from the emotion of the ceremony—if anything, it only deepens it. We both cried like babies, not just once, but twice—once during the first look and again when I walked down the aisle.

We had limited options for our first look location, and most of the spots were bathed in harsh sunlight. As anyone in the wedding industry will tell you, bright sunlight isn’t always your friend when it comes to photos, and certainly not when you're trying to create a serene, intimate moment. So, before we met for our first look, Shane and I said a prayer, asking the Lord to send a cloud right where we’d be standing, to give us just the right lighting for that special moment.

And I kid you not—right when I stepped out to meet Shane, a cloud moved directly over us. It stayed there, casting the perfect shade, until I closed my vow book. Some might call it a coincidence, but for us, it was a clear reminder that God cares about the smallest details of our lives—and He certainly cared about the details of our day.

The Ceremony

When I say God was in every detail of our elopement, I mean it—every detail. Leading up to our ceremony, we had warned our families about the road to our ceremony site. We mentioned how online reviews strongly recommended a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, and based on our previous experience, we could confirm that the road was rough—dirt, potholes, and no gravel in sight.

But then, on the day of our wedding, something unexpected happened. As Shane and I drove toward the location, we noticed that the entire road had been completely redone. What had been a bumpy, difficult path was now smooth and covered in fresh gravel. No one had any trouble getting up there, and it was such a clear sign to us that God had taken care of this detail.

It felt like a small but significant affirmation that we were seen and heard, and that our day had been intentionally prepared for us. It was a reminder that even the little things matter, and that we were being looked after in ways we hadn’t anticipated.

Our elopement day felt like it was over in the blink of an eye, but at the same time, it was filled with so much stillness and peace. The way we designed the day allowed us to savor every single moment—there was no rush, no pressure, just pure enjoyment of each other and the experience.

As soon as we kissed at the altar, we shared a quick hello with our families, who then made their way back to their Airbnbs to begin prepping for dinner. Shane and I, however, stayed at Wiseman's View for a bit longer, soaking in the breathtaking scenery and indulging in our own private moments. We had our first dance just the two of us, followed by an intimate cake cutting—one of my favorite parts of the day.

I loved our private first dance. It wasn’t that I didn’t want our families there, it was more that we are not fans of being the center of attention. The thought of awkward stares and post-dance small talk made me nervous, so we opted for a quiet, intimate moment just for ourselves. Honestly, it was perfect.

One of Shane's sisters, Rachel, is an incredible pastry chef, and she made our cake. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best cake I’ve ever had in my life. I’m fairly certain I’ll dream about that cake for the rest of time. To make it even more untraditional, we didn’t do the typical cake cutting—no forks or fancy plates! Instead, we "cupped" the cake, placing two beautiful glasses into the layers and ate it straight from them. Yep, we forgot forks—but who needs them anyways when you have hands?

After we finished our cake, we did a bridal session with our incredible vendor team. Then, we headed back to the Airbnb to enjoy steak tacos with our family, celebrating in the simplest, most meaningful way possible.

It was a day that was ours, in every sense of the word, and I wouldn’t change a thing.